Just when we thought we had seen the worst of political desperation in Malawi, along comes a new and horrifying chapter—this time playing out in the supposed stronghold of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Reports have emerged that DPP loyalists, notoriously known as “cadets,” are allegedly forcing school-going children—yes, children—to tattoo themselves with party symbols as proof of their loyalty. Let that sink in: branding minors with political ink they didn’t ask for, for a party they can’t even vote for.
It’s not only senseless. It’s criminal. These are not just acts of political thuggery—they are violations of basic human decency. What kind of political movement looks at a classroom and sees a campaign rally? What kind of leadership allows its foot soldiers to turn children into walking billboards? Worse still, this is coming from a party whose past includes one of the darkest stains on our conscience: the brutal killing of people with albinism. From targeting the most vulnerable then, to targeting the most innocent now, the DPP appears hell-bent on reminding Malawians why they were voted out in the first place.
And yet, they dream of returning to power? Perhaps in a fantasy where violence, intimidation, and fear still win elections. But this is 2025, not the dark days of unchecked impunity. Malawians have seen enough. They’ve tasted democracy, transparency, and reform. They’ve witnessed a government that builds bridges and schools—not a party that breaks bones and spirits.
Let us be clear: politics is about ideas, not indoctrination. It is about inspiring citizens, not intimidating children. Forcing a party symbol onto a minor’s skin is not campaigning—it’s coercion. And if this is what the DPP calls strategy, then they are not preparing for governance; they are preparing for rejection.
The soul of a nation is measured not just by how it treats its voters, but how it treats its children. And right now, the DPP is failing that test. Spectacularly.
No, Malawi will not go back. Not to this. Not ever.
